Hide and Seek
by Chowdergal
Summary: Some demons never die; instead they just wait around to play games again. AU, USUK,FrUK, UKUK. Read inside for semi-full summary.
1. Chapter 1

**Another Hetalia Story brought to you by Chowdergal! **

**Full Summary; Alfred is a bored little boy with nothing to do. One day going around the house, he discovers this mirror just in the corner of the attic. The mirror becomes his only friend, making his caretaker, Arthur concerned. When the small boy disappears into mirror, the Englishman discovers that the mirror inhabits a demon; a demon that's searching for his other half, Arthur. Francis and Arthur travel into the mirror together to get back the little boy, but the demon requests a game; if he wins, he gets Arthur and the child, and if they win, they get the little boy back. It seems simple enough, but the demon has a few surprises in for the three of them.**

**Pairings: FrUK, Demon!Arthur/Arthur, Child!Alfred/Demon!Arthur, Older!Alfred/Arthur, Demon!Francis (Yus, will be explained later)/Arthur **

**A/N: For awhile I've had this story on the mind, and have written little parts of it over the months, but never done a full chapter due to school. I might edit this chapter depending on my mood and if I feel like it needs to be done. But for now, enjoy the prologue of "Hide and Seek." **

There the monster stood, eyes ablaze with fury. His growling increased with each struggle to break free from the chains that held him back.

The man breathed in before opening his mouth.

"Hello, Arthur."

The demon's emerald eyes fixed upon the pale face of his target. A sneer crept along the corners of his lips.

"Hello Francis, what brings you to this place? Come to triumph over my defeat?"

"Non, I want to know what happened to her."

"Oh? I don't know who you're talking about."

"You damn right know who Arthur. The girl you lured away. The girl you toyed with!" The demon gave a cat like grin.

"Ah, that girl; It was only a game of cat and mouse. She choose to be the mouse and scurry throughout the maze, trying to find a way out. Of course she should have known…" Arthur said with a dark chuckle. "A cat always catches its prey."

"N-No…" Francis felt his knees weaken. So it was true, she was gone. "You bastard."

"Why thank you, my sweet. If you miss her so badly, you're welcome to join her." Francis clenched his teeth together.

"What did you do to her?"

The monster in front of him just laughed, his voice filling the dead space throughout the room.

"Again, again. I enjoy the pain in your voice whenever you speak."

The demon looked human enough; but at the same time he wasn't. His skin was as pale as freshly fallen snow, his eyes glowed an ominous green. The smirk plastered across his face was nothing a human could be able to hold.

"Monster." The Frenchman spatted. Arthur frowned.

It's just my nature. This is my soul, tainted with hatred of the others, forced to carry on the burden of other people's past mistakes. All their sins go into me, and I have to bear them; lust, envy, murder. You have no idea what it feels like to feel whatever they felt, their last moan or cry for mercy."

"You have no soul, Arthur." Francis snapped. "You made that known when you came in and slaughtered all those innocent townsfolk, when you came in and took her away from me. You don't feel anything."

The demon's face broke into a sneer. "It makes me feel…._alive._ Their blood staining my lips and teeth are just something I enjoy. It gives me that…tasty feeling. I have to say, feeding off your emotions and blood was delicious." He licked his lips. "So what's next; are you going to destroy me?"

Francis couldn't believe anyone could be so monstrous, so _inhuman._ Only a demon could look into the eyes of a young child and take their soul without guilt. The Frenchman felt his teeth grind against each other. As much as he wanted this despicable being destroyed, he couldn't do it, not to him. He didn't deserve death; that was too kind. He wanted to make it hurt. Arthur was going to suffer for his sins. Every single one of them.

Rising up to his feet, he looked the creature in the eye, pure rage from the priest's sapphire eyes firing back at the demon's emerald ones.

"Non, I have something else in mind for you." It was risky, and would cost his body a lot, but what else could he do? Arthur was just going to keep murdering if he let him roam. So many years has he let him do that, it was time it all stopped.

Arthur cocked an eyebrow. "Oh? What is it love; another splash of holy water? Or perhaps it's a stretch on the rack. Face it frog, there's nothing you can do to me. _Absoooolutely nothing!~_" He said in a sing song voice as Francis neared him. He took a dagger out of his bag. With a grunt, he slashed one of his veins open, letting the blood drip to the floor. He repeated the procedure with the demon, only producing a snarl from it. Both of their blood expanded and tangled around the two in a devilish dance. The Frenchman then went over to the old mirror by the door and brought it closer to Arthur. The demon cackled.

"You've got to be kidding me. This is old magic! You honestly think that this will be able to hold me Francis? I'll break free the moment you die."

"I'm not trying to capture you whole; I'm partly capturing you." The monster narrowed his eyes.

"What do you mean?"

"I know you have a human heart somewhere deep down, Arthur. Maybe you don't show nor use it, but it's there. Do you remember what you used to be before you became what you are today?" Arthur just rolled his eyes in annoyance. This man was going to bore him to death, he was sure of it.

"Weak, just like you."

"No, you were a hardworking man; you had a lover; a home." The Frenchman reached into his cloak and pulled out a locket. "Do you remember this?"

Arthur struggled against the chains as Francis brought the jewelry closer to his face. It was making him strangely uncomfortable. His face paled. "I-I've never seen that thing in my life! Take it away from me!"

"You know you have. I loved you when you were still human; hell, even now I think I still love you."

"Lies! It's all lies!" By now, the demon was becoming unnerved; he was losing his grip on the Frenchman, and he knew it. The tide was turning; he could feel his powers quickly slipping away and him getting weaker by the minute. It was the first time in years that he felt vulnerable to the man. "You hate me! You've said it yourself!"

"I just hate what you've become." Francis said, a sad look passing through his eyes before dropping the locket into the pool of blood circling them. The mirror began to glow green and so did Arthur's eyes.

"W-What is this? What are you doing to me?" he shouted in panic.

"Instead of trapping you wholly in one mirror like you expected me to do; I'm splitting you from your demon half."

"You wouldn't dare." Arthur growled, black wisps of smoke beginning to come from his body. Francis sighed.

"I would, for you. Because I care about you."

"Liar!" By this time the demon was screaming and shouting curses at the Frenchman who just stood and watched as the black mist poured from out the others body and into the mirror in front of him. Finally, it ceased. And where a full grown man once was chained, sat a helpless baby. It looked up at Francis with innocent green eyes.

"Arthur, it was for your own good. Now you'll be able to start another life, and perhaps have a better one." He picked the infant up and left the dungeon, leaving the cursed mirror behind. He would instruct the others what to do with it later, as for now the child needed a home. By performing the spell, he was cursed for eternity to bear the pain and suffering of others who have died at the hand of the demon, including Jeanne, while taking care of the monster responsible for her death. It would be difficult, but in time, maybe….just maybe `he and Arthur could be happy together again.

_Questions, comments? Review! Makes every writer happy :D And if you're confused, it'll eventually become clear to you. I hope. _


	2. Chapter 2

The young boy rushed throughout the halls of the house, an innocent grin placed across his young face. His bright blue eyes sparkled with the promise of a great day, rain or shine.

It had been at least eight years since he had been adopted by Arthur Kirkland, a very successful business man in Great Britain and the colonies alike. The man tried his best to make the best for Alfred, while at the same time balancing out things in Europe. Usually, the man would come home tired after days of work, but he almost always had time for the young boy. Even if it was just for a couple of moments.

The nine year old entered the room of his caretaker where the man was still sleeping with the covers over his head. With a leap, he jumped onto the Englishman's bed, causing the man to wake up in shock. "A-Alfred? W-What?"

He fell onto the floor, covers falling on top of his head. Alfred grinned sheepishly looking at the damage he caused.

"Whoops." Arthur got up slowly; making sure the boy hadn't broken anything. When it seemed that everything was fine, he turned his attention back to Alfred.

"Alfred, how many times have I told you not to jump on me while I am asleep?"

"Come on Arthur, it's time to wake up! It's nine after eight! Uncle Francis is even at the door!" the boy protested.

Arthur blinked. Since when did the young boy call that frog uncle? Regardless he sighed and got out of bed. His feet found themselves into cozy slippers before groggily walking out of the room and down the stairs as opposed to Alfred, who ran out of the room and down the stairs to open the door. Much to his dislike, the Frenchman was standing in the doorway, grinning.

"Arthur, bonjour! Ca va?" Arthur gave a dirty look.

"What are you doing here? Didn't I tell you never to come back again?"

Francis Bonnefoy was a Frenchman out for some business in the New World. Not only that, but he raised Arthur as a child. Despite this, they were never actually close. Arguments kept them separate for years, no matter how much Francis tried to be nice to him. From time to time the Englishman wondered why the man didn't seem to age like everyone else that was his age at the time. Natural charm, bleh. A forty-nine year old man looking like a twenty six year old? Impossible. But you could never tell with the French.

"Well, I couldn't resist seeing how you were doing with Alfred and thought I'd pop on by." He replied, giving Alfred a pat on the head. "And besides, since you've just gotten out of bed, I see no reason for you to cook breakfast for Alfred today. Therefore I will."

"You will do no such thing! I am capable of-"

"Burning down the 'ouse." Francis finished, folding his arms across his chest. "Mon cher, for once let me cook for you; otherwise the boy's going to starve." It was Arthur's turn to fold his hands across his chest.

"Alfred simply _adores_ my cooking, frog face. He complements me every day saying how wonderful it is. Isn't that right, Alfred?"

The boy gave a small nod. This wasn't the first time Arthur and Francis had argued in front of him; it happened almost every other day. It would be hours before the two could settle on an agreement, and Alfred just didn't feel like watching the two today. He wandered away from them.

On days like this, Alfred found company in the old attic that the two had. He had been going up there for almost three months with no suspicion from neither Arthur nor Francis on what he was doing. He climbed up the stairs to the room and opened the door. It was just like any other attic; dust collected in some places, cobwebs in another. Boxes and chest were stacked on top of each other. It looked as though no one had entered the place for at least twenty years. In the corner of the attic, just next to the window, was a rectangular shaped mirror. It seemed normal enough, just a dusty old mirror. It wasn't.

"Mirror, I'm back!" The small boy called out cheerfully.

"_Welcome back little one." _the voice from the glass replied. _"How was your breakfast?"_

Alfred looked down at his shoes. "I haven't eaten any breakfast yet; Arthur and Francis are arguing again over who gets to cook for me." His stomach growled for effect.

"_Would you like something to eat?" _

"Yes, please!"

Instantly, an entire table full of food arose from the ground. Pastries, Bacon, eggs, porridge were scattered across the table. And they were all for him. He munched down on pastries almost instantly. The mirror gave a light chuckle.

"_My, my you have quite an appetite; Arthur must really have trouble feeding such a heavy eater like you." _

"He finds time." Alfred said through bites of bacon. "By the way, could you tell me why I can't tell anyone about you? I'm sure Arthur will be glad to know that I have a friend in one of his mirrors!" There was a long pause from the mirror before answering.

"_People will not believe that I exist." _

"Of course they will! Once you talk, they will!"

"_You don't understand; I'm only available to you." _the mirror said, a hint of stress in his voice._ "I don't want anyone else to know you've been talking to me, alright?" _

"I guess, but…I still think everyone should know how nice you are!" Alfred exclaimed, finishing the rest of his meal. The table cleared itself after the last bit of porridge was licked clean from the bowl. "Thank you for the meal!"

"_You're welcome, little one." _

"You know something, you're like Arthur! You talk just like him, and you're there for me when he's off doing important business in Britain."

"_You mean he doesn't stay with you all the time?" _

"Well, him and Francis have got a business back in Europe, so when Arthur leaves, it's my job to take care of the house! It gets really lonely sometimes though…I have no one to talk to at all."

"_You'll have me."_ it whispered softly._ "Whenever you feel lonely." _

"Mirror?"

"_Yes?"_

"Do _you_ ever get lonely?"

"_Yes, I suppose." _

"You're in that mirror all day and night. It must be a bore to be that long in a mirror. Can you come out? I want to see what you look like!"

"_Sadly, no. I am trapped." _

Alfred's face fell. "Oh. Well…can I come in there; I don't want you to be lonely."

"_You would do that?"_

"Uh huh!"

"_I can show you things you've never imagined; it'd be all so wonderful if you came to the other side with me!~" _

The young boy's eyes twinkled. His friend never lied; there were probably be things on his side of the mirror that was awesome. It wouldn't hurt for him to go in it just this once; Arthur wouldn't even know he was gone. By the time he got back, the others would still be fighting.

"How do I get in?"

"_You must prick your finger on one of those sharp edges of the mirror and dab your blood on the surface. After that, you are free to enter." _the mirror explained.

Alfred hesitated a bit before jabbing his index finger into one of the jagged edges of the mirror. He then slid the injured finger down the middle of the glass. Sure enough, the blood disappeared and the glass began to glow.

"_Alright little one, you are allowed to enter now. Come inside."_ said the voice seductively.

Alfred edged closer to the mirror, about to go into it when the attic door opened. A wave of dust particles hit the boy's face. He coughed while trying to make out the blurry figure.

"Alfred, what are you doing here?" The smoke cleared; it was Arthur. His hair was untidy and caked with what seemed to be dough. Powder soiled his clothing. The mirror had stopped glowing. "Francis has left by the way. It took me forever to get rid of that wine freak."

"I was just looking around." the boy replied. Arthur sighed.

"Well I guess there's no harm in that; just tell me where you're going from now on."

"Ok."

"Breakfast is finally ready." Arthur said with a smile, leading him out of the room. "I'm sure you're quite famished."

"Well…." he gave a glance towards the mirror and whispered, "I'll come back, I promise!" The door shut behind him, leaving the mirror alone.

"_Oh you will little one, you will."_

* * *

><p>Nighttime came sooner for the two than they had expected. Before the caretaker reached to blow out the candle, the child grabbed his hand.<p>

"Arthur, do you believe in fairies?"

"Of course I do; why do you ask?" Alfred twiddled his thumbs together.

"I have this friend who tells me that a fairy is….trapped in her…closet. How would you free it?"

"There are many ways, but it's a little too late to be discussing that. Perhaps next month I will tell you." Alfred's ears perked up.

"N-Next month? Why next month?" the Englishman sighed and kneeled beside the bed.

"I have business in Europe with Britain and I have to be there for three weeks."

Alfred's eyes widened. No, he couldn't leave; not for that long at least! He tugged onto his caretaker's clothing sobbing loudly;

"Why do you always have to leave? I don't want you to go!"

"I'm sorry; but that's just how it has to be. I'm Englishman; I can't stay in a colony forever."

"But that colony has a child in it! He's left to defend himself while you sip tea with his majesty!" Alfred protested.

"That's enough!" snapped Arthur. "I cannot control what my country does. If it needs me; I'll be there." He rose to his feet and slammed the door behind him, leaving Alfred in the dark. The child tried his best to swallow his tears, but they still managed to squeeze out. All he wanted to do was be with Arthur, but lately he was too busy to spend any time with him.

"_Alfred." _

The small boy jumped out of bed as soon as he heard his friend's voice. He made sure that the Englishman was nowhere in sight before opening the door to the attic.

"_Lad, why do you cry?" _

"A-Arthur's leaving!" the boy sobbed. "For almost a month! I'll be lonely…"

"_Remember what you said you wanted to do?"_ the mirror whispered._ "I can make the pain go away. All you have to do is enter." _The glass began to glow again. Alfred wiped his tears away. If Arthur was going to be gone for that long, what's the point in being alone when this mirror was going to comfort him as long as he liked? He stepped into it and with a flash, he was gone.

* * *

><p>"Alfred? Alfred where are you?" came the Briton's voice. He had noticed the lack of jumping on his bed and thought the young boy was still asleep. No such luck. As he peered into the other's room, the bed was empty. He then proceeded to check the garden, and then the kitchen. Still, Alfred was nowhere to be found. It wasn't like him to just run off before he had to leave…he would try and spend every moment with him until he had to say goodbye.<p>

And then it hit him; what if he was a little too harsh last night? What if Alfred ran away from him? The thought made his knees weak. _"He wouldn't have done that…not like this…" _

To his surprise a knock came on the door. He quickly hurried to open it, expecting it to be Alfred.

It was Francis.

"Arthur, you have less than an hour before we depart. What the hell are you doing?" Arthur looked up weakly.

"Francis…I can't find him anywhere…Alfred, he's gone." The Frenchman blinked.

"What do you mean, gone? What did you do?"

"I don't know!" Arthur exclaimed, on the verge of tears. "He's just gone!" he grabbed onto Francis' coat tightly. The Frenchman couldn't believe that the prideful young man was now crying in front of him. He gave a pat to the Englishman's back.

"There, there. Please don't cry….you ruin your face when you do." he lifted up Arthur's chin and wiped away the tears. "We'll find him."

"_Arthur!" _

The Englishman whipped around. In the distance he could hear;

"Alfred?"

"_Arthur…"_ the voice said again.

"Alfred, where are you?" Arthur demanded in a panicked tone. He rushed up the stairs and followed the boy's voice. It was coming from the attic. He tore the door open and rushed inside. Francis followed after. The noise was coming from the mirror. Disbelief filled his eyes.

"No, he couldn't have possibl-"

"Alfred, are you ok; answer me!"

"_Arthur, save me!" _cried the young boy.

"No Arthur, don't!"

Without thinking, the Englishman jumped into the glass before Francis had a chance to stop him. And just like before with Alfred, there was a flash and he was gone. Francis stood there dumbfounded. How could Alfred have gotten into the mirror? Unless _he_ made him do it. How did he even get enough strength to lure the boy in? Perhaps he's been feeding off his emotions for quite some time now. If that's the case, then Alfred and Arthur were doomed.

* * *

><p>The Englishman looked around the area. There was nothing different about it; in fact, the place looked exactly like his home. Odd.<p>

"_Arthur!" _

Not stopping to even consider where he was or the consequences that might follow, he trailed after the sound of the child's voice. His breathing became heavier. What kind of trouble was he in, what if he couldn't save him in time? Those thoughts increased with each step he took. He opened the door closest to him.

Instead of seeing the young child, he saw an empty study room. He could've sworn that Alfred's voice was coming from this room...

"_Arthur, Arthur, oh please Arthur."_ taunted a childish, yet malicious laced voice. _"Oh Arthur. It was almost too easy luring you here. Whatever have you done to our brilliant mind?"_

"O-Our mind? Who are you? Show yourself!" the Briton demanded. He felt cold hands grasp his shoulder. Arthur turned around horrified. There, grinning like a cat was a mirror image of himself.

"I'm you of course."


End file.
